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Posts for: March, 2015

Porcelain veneers, often referred to as dental veneers, are thin shells that are applied to the front of your teeth to improve the overall look and appearance of your smile. Porcelain veneers are a great option for someone wanting to hide certain dental flaws that other cosmetic procedures can’t handle, in a relatively non-invasive manner.

What Dental Imperfections Can Veneers Hide?

Dental veneers are a great option for anyone dealing with these common problems:

Chipped or cracked teeth

Stained or discolored teeth

Gaps between teeth

Minor overlapping

Crooked or misshapen teeth

Located in Brookfield and dealing with any of these dental issues? Porcelain veneers at Geary Dentistry could be the treatment you've been looking for!

What is the Veneer Procedure Like?

Dental veneers come in a variety of shades to match just about any smile. After choosing the right type of veneers for you, we will apply special resin between your tooth and the veneer and use a laser to harden the resin for good. Once this is polished and complete, you will have a brand new smile!

A major plus of opting for porcelain veneers is that this procedure removes only a minimal amount of surface enamel which is replaced with a thin shell of bonded porcelain. Because of this, a minimal amount of anesthetic can be used.

How long do dental veneers last?

With the proper care and upkeep veneers can last anywhere from 10 to 20 years before needing to be replaced. During this time it’s important that you continue to brush and floss your veneers, just as you would your natural teeth. Also, you still need to keep up with routine dental cleanings and exams to make sure your smile is healthy.

If you want to give your smile a little spring makeover, then it’s time to find out whether dental veneers are right for you. Schedule a consultation today at Geary Dentistry, and give yourself the gift of a beautiful new smile! We are conveniently located on the border between Wauwatosa, Brookfield and Elm Grove.

Did you know that severe tooth decay is America's #1 chronic childhood disease? Actress Brady Reiter didn't know either — until she became the star of the movie Tooth Fairy 2, and then joined forces with the National Children's Oral Health Foundation: America's ToothFairy®.

“Before, I didn't even realize what can happen to kids if they don't take care of their teeth,” 11-year-old Brady recently told Dear Doctor magazine, after viewing photos of children suffering from severe tooth decay. “There are kids in America who don't know that it's important, or they just don't have the resources to be able to take care of their teeth or to go to the dentist.”

This young Tooth Fairy knows just how magical — and vital to a child's self-esteem — a beautiful smile can be.

“When you feel bad about opening up your mouth and smiling, a kid's confidence just goes down the drain,” she said.

“I'm really excited to be part of it,” Brady told Dear Doctor. “Kids learn how to take care of their of smile by joining this club. By supporting America's ToothFairy, we can help kids in need get dental care and have a healthy smile too. It's really amazing!”

While lots of kids get an occasional cavity, millions of children have tooth decay so severe that it interferes with their ability to eat, sleep, and concentrate in school. The good news is that tooth decay, a bacteria-induced infection, is preventable.

“When kids join the club, they learn how to prevent tooth decay. When families support this great cause, we can help kids in need. And that's what feels great — that we really can make kids' futures better.”

As a parent you’re concerned with a number of issues involving your child’s health, not the least of which involves their teeth. One of the most common is thumb-sucking.

While later thumb-sucking is a cause for concern, it’s quite normal and not viewed as harmful in infant’s and very young children. This universal habit is rooted in an infant swallowing pattern: all babies tend to push the tongue forward against the back of the teeth when they swallow, which allows them to form a seal while breast or bottle feeding. Infants and young children take comfort or experience a sense of security from sucking their thumb, which simulates infant feeding.

Soon after their primary teeth begin to erupt, the swallowing pattern changes and they begin to rest the tongue on the roof of the mouth just behind the front teeth when swallowing. For most children thumb sucking begins to fade as their swallowing pattern changes.

Some children, though, continue the habit longer even as their permanent teeth are beginning to come in. As they suck their thumb the tongue constantly rests between the front teeth, which over time may interfere with how they develop. This can cause an “open bite” in which the upper and lower teeth don’t meet properly, a problem that usually requires orthodontic treatment to correct it.

For this reason, dentists typically recommend encouraging children to stop thumb-sucking by age 3 (18-24 months to stop using a pacifier). The best approach is positive reinforcement — giving appropriate rewards over time for appropriate behavior: for example, praising them as a “big” boy or girl when they have gone a certain length of time without sucking their thumb or a pacifier. You should also use training or “Sippy” cups to help them transition from a bottle to a regular cup, which will further diminish the infant swallowing pattern and need for thumb-sucking.

Habits like thumb-sucking in young children should be kept in perspective: the habit really isn’t a problem unless it goes on too long. Gentle persuasion, along with other techniques we can help you with, is the best way to help your child eventually stop.